Maeve's Blog

Light flashes in the corner of my eye and I’m surprised to see a car at the gate. We don’t get many visitors these days! It’s the children’s friends and their Mam, who must be on their way home from afterschool. “Look who’s here!”, I call and we hurry down to greet them, thrilled to welcome other human beings to our quiet home.

“Just something small”, she says, handing gifts to the kids. Neon colours streak across a grey backdrop prompting chase by little, limber legs. Shrieks and laughter resound through the evening air. My heart swells to see our two having other children to play with after the year they have had.

As we amble up the driveway, a crisp breeze nipping at our noses, she says, “I heard about Billy”. Our beautiful fox hound whose life was taken on the road a few days ago. ‘Ah’, I think, feeling a mix of sadness and appreciation, ‘That’s why she’s come’. A radiant warmth fills my chest as I take in her kind face. Without warning the story of my father’s accident tumbles out of my mouth. Instinctively, she knows all the right things to say and questions to ask.

While the kettle boils I arrange chairs on the patio, then rummage for a sweet offering. Hands wrapped around hot coffee cups for warmth we chat until the sun starts to dip close to the earth and orange seeps into the evening sky. The simple pleasures we for so long took for granted.

When it’s time to go the children give us the run around, laughing and giggling all the while. Their reluctance to leave understandable. It’s been a long time since they have got to play together with no rules, no guidelines, just unadulterated fun.

Our collective spirits lifted we wave goodbye until the taillights disappear around the corner. Peering down at their rosey-cheeked faces I delight to see their eyes back to full sparkle.

As I gather up the coffee cups I think about her. She’s off home to get the dinner made, get the kids sorted for school tomorrow and God knows what else.

The generosity and kindness of her visit will stay with me.

I am blessed to have found her friendship.